0 View Gallery View Comments 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Lake Pueblo State Park Visitor Center and West Fishing, free activities, parks pass required, puebloeagledays.org Majestic eagles that make their home at Lake Pueblo State Park will share their special days with other resident birds of prey during the 22nd annual Pueblo Eagle Days festival Saturday and Sunday.Visitors might see hawks, golden eagles, owls, visiting falcons and maybe, just maybe, the beautiful snowy owl spotted at Lake Pueblo in late January. The snowy owl, usually found in Arctic climes, visited the lake for the first time since 1984, drawing enthusiastic bird lovers and photographers. Some days it has been seen, but not on others. Will it still be there for the festival or fly, fly away? Only the snowy owl knows.Eagle Days has two locations, the Lake Pueblo State Park Visitor Center and the West Fishing viewing area, where a wildlife viewing trailer with scopes has been set up. The Visitor Center, open at 9 a.m., features a variety of activities, hikes and animals. Saturday morning, park naturalist Sue Hardesty will demonstrate "what cool adaptations an eagle has that you would need if you wanted to fly like an eagle." An especially memorable part of the festival each day is the release back to the wild of rehabilitated raptors that have been nursed back to health after injuries.Visitors can meet the park's resident raptors and hear their stories at 11 a.m. Saturday. If the weather cooperates, there's an opportunity to watch the Air Force Academy's falcons fly at 12:30 p.m. and to meet their cadet handlers. A birding van tour Sunday morning has limited space. Reservations are required at hikeandlearn.org.Pueblo Eagle Days activities are free, but $7 parks passes are required for vehicles.Festival sponsors are Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Arkansas Valley Audubon Society, Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center and the Pueblo Zoo.For complete information and maps: Continue Reading

0 View Gallery View Comments For the first time since 1984, a snowy owl has chosen to perch on Lake Pueblo. "This is one of those once-in-a-generation things, so it's very special to have a rare Arctic snowy owl in Pueblo," said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Bill Vogrin. "We're thrilled that the owl is there and hope he stays a long time." The owl was first spotted Monday and mostly has stayed on the tires of a breakwater near the South Marina. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has not determined the gender of the bird, although they have ruled out that it is an adult male because the feathers at the nape of its neck are darker than would be normal for a male. Related: US says snow-loving lynx no longer need special protection The bird's appearance is part of a phenomenon called an irruption, which occurs every couple of years when a population boom in northern Canada leads some of the owls usually far south in the winter. The boost in the owl population is triggered by a periodic increase in the population of a small rodent called a lemming. The abundance of food allows snowy owls to raise large clutches of up to 11 eggs. This year's irruption has brought snowy owls to areas as far south as Missouri and Virginia, according to eBird observations. A record-setting irruption captivated bird enthusiasts in late 2013 and early 2014. Vogrin encouraged visitors to spot the owl but asked the public to respect the owl's space. "As with any wildlife, we're asking people to stay a distance away," he said. If the owl sticks around, those attending Colorado Parks and Wildlife's 22nd annual Pueblo Eagle Days festival on Feb. 3 and 4 will have the chance to see the owl and other birds of prey with parks officials. Each day includes a scavenger hunt, a meet-and-greet with some of the birds that live at the raptor center and a chance to see a rehabilitated raptor back into the wild. All activities are free with a valid $7 day pass, or $70 annual park pass per Continue Reading

0 View Gallery View Comments For the first time since 1984, a snowy owl has chosen to perch on Lake Pueblo."This is one of those once-in-a-generation things, so it's very special to have a rare Arctic snowy owl in Pueblo," said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Bill Vogrin. "We're thrilled that the owl is there and hope he stays a long time." The owl was first spotted Monday and mostly has stayed on the tires of a breakwater near the South Marina.Colorado Parks and Wildlife has not determined the gender of the bird, although they have ruled out that it is an adult male because of its coloring.The bird's appearance is part of a phenomenon called an irruption, which occurs every couple of years when a population boom in northern Canada leads some of the owls usually far south in the winter. The boost in the owl population is triggered by a periodic increase in the population of a small rodent called a lemming. The abudance of food allows snowy owwls to raise large cluthces of up to 11 eggs.This year's irruption has brought snowy owls to areas as far south as Missouri and Virginia, according to eBird observations.A record-setting irruption captivated bird enthusiasts in late 2013 and early 2014.Vogrin encouraged visitors to spot the owl but asked the public to respect the owl's space."As with any wildlife, we're asking people to stay a distance away," he said.If the owl sticks around, those attending Colorado Parks and Wildlife's 22nd annual Pueblo Eagle Days festival on Feb. 3 and 4 will have the chance to see the owl and other birds of prey with parks officials. Each day includes a scavenger hunt, a meet-and-greet with some of the birds that live at the raptor center and a chance to see a rehabilitated raptor back into the wild.All activities are free with a valid $7 day pass, or $70 annual park pass per vehicle. For more information, details of activities and maps, please visit the Eagle Days website at www.puebloeagledays.org. Continue Reading

If you've never seen an eagle in the wild, this month will offer a couple of prime opportunities, courtesy of the Bergen County Audubon Society.This Sunday in River Edge, and Jan. 21 in Ridgefield, two events will focus on the predatory birds, which have seen a resurgence in recent years. “The eagles have made a dramatic comeback, not only around the country and in New Jersey, but our area as well, especially along Hackensack River,” said Audubon President Don Torino. “People used to go all the way to Alaska to see the eagles. Now they are right in our backyard.”The first event, “Where Eagles Fly” will “celebrate history and eagles” at the historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge. Village news: Ridgefield Park $1B development takes a step forward Bird news: The Bird Watcher: A banner year for snowy owls Nature news: Montclair conference to cover sustainability on many levels Visitors to New Bridge Landing will learn about its history and be able to take tours of the Steuben House — George Washington's headquarters in 1780 — as well as learn about all things eagle, Torino said. “There will be talks about the return of bald eagles to the area, and we will do walks along the river to try and find them,” Torino said. “There will be music and food, too, and it will all be free.”Torino said eagles have been plentiful in the area recently, with as many as 24 spotted on a recent weekend.As the water freezes further north, some migratory eagles come down to spend the winter, so this time of year is a “prime time” for those, Torino said.“We want the water to be open some, not completely frozen over so they can hunt,” Torino said. “By next week the tidal area will be open in spots. We should see some there.”In addition to the migratory variety, there are nesting pairs in the area that remain year Continue Reading

Julian Wilson was leaving his Lake Murray subdivision at about 7:45 a.m. Saturday to take his son to a recreational league basketball game. What he saw in his neighbor’s driveway made him hit the breaks. A large white owl – or what looked like an owl – was sitting atop the luggage rack of his neighbor’s SUV, just chillin’. At first, Wilson thought it was a decorative owl that people often place on the eaves of houses to scare off pigeons. Then it turned its head. “It was 2 to 2 1/2 feet long – bigger than a horned owl,” said Wilson, a commercial real estate broker and partner with Newmark Wilson Kibler. “And when I came back (from the game) two hours later, it was still there.” What Wilson saw was a snowy, or arctic, owl. The largest owl in North America with a wingspan of about 5 feet, it is rarely seen outside of Canada or the far northern United States. Wilson snapped a picture and sent it to The State. The owl’s identity was confirmed by two experts: Clemson University’s Drew Lanham, a wildlife ecologist, and Norman Smith of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, who runs a bird sanctuary. Lanham was a bit stunned. “That’s pretty doggone rare for South Carolina — phenomenal,” he said. “It’s a major, major event. Once (bird watchers) find out the thing is around, there will be mass pandemonium for people to get to see it.” All about the lemmings The owl is a female, said Smith, director of the Blue Hills Trailside Museum and the Norman Smith Environmental Education Center. And she is probably an adolescent. Although the weather here has been frigid by South Carolina standards, the owl’s appearance is more likely tied to lemmings in northern Quebec than the low temps. Yes, lemmings – small rodents that Lanham described as “a rat, but cute. Short tails. And they are mythically known for blindly plunging off cliffs.” Lemmings are Continue Reading

0 View Comments PUEBLO — A rare snowy owl has been spotted at the Lake Pueblo State Park in the Pueblo area. The Pueblo Chieftainreports the bird, typically found in the Arctic region of North America, was first spotted at Lake Pueblo's South Marina on Monday. Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks that bird lovers keep a safe distance when observing the rare bird and try not to disturb it when it is resting or hunting. Related: Snatched by hungry eagle, little dog lives to bark the tale Wildlife biologist April Estep says the bird may stay in the area for a few days if it is not harassed. It is the second snowy owl recorded in Pueblo County in southeast Colorado. Continue Reading

SUAMICO - The nearshore waters of Green Bay on Thursday were locked in ice and covered with snow.Low clouds spanned the sky like a gray, woolen blanket and squeezed out a veil of frozen mist.If you had to prove the existence of a horizon, this wasn't the time. The ground formed a seamless union with the sky."This is what they call a whiteout," said David Brinker of Annapolis, Md., as he surveyed the wintry landscape.Safely on a path on the Cat Island complex east of Suamico, Brinker and the rest of our group didn't face any particular hazards. RELATED: Germantown's Tait wins second World Intermediate Duck Calling title But the conditions did pose an added challenge to our quest: find snowy owls.The species plumage evolved to blend in with its Arctic breeding grounds. It works nicely, too, to conceal individuals that wing south in winter to snow-covered haunts in the U.S.Still, with nine sets of eyes spread across the target rich environment of the lower bay, our group was confident it was a matter of when, not if, we'd see one or more snowies.It would then be up to the team assembled by Brinker to safely trap and secure an owl so it could be examined, fitted with a transmitter and released.The work was part of Project SNOWstorm, research started in late 2013 to study the habits and assist with conservation of the big, white birds.Brinker, a native of Racine who now works as a wildlife biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, founded Project SNOWstorm along with Scott Weidensaul, Mike Lanzone, Norman Smith and Steve Huy.The work is conducted on a volunteer basis by scientists and funded by donations."Thank goodness snowies are so charismatic," said Brinker, 63.For many, the handsome birds were popularized in recent years through Harry Potter books and movies. For others, the sheer beauty, size and rarity of the birds is enough to give it "star Continue Reading

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - What do a horticulturalist, a retiree and two people in the biotech industry have in common?They are among dozens of birders flocking to southern Delaware to catch a glimpse of snowy owls.“It doesn’t happen all the time, and it’s very exciting because it’s almost something exotic coming down to Delaware,” said Matt Del Pizzo, president of the Delaware Audubon Society.It’s not just the snowy owls that are prompting bird-lovers to drive hours to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.Another northern species, the short-eared owl, has been showing up in force this year. Birders are almost guaranteed a glimpse of these agile hunters along Fowler Beach Road near Milford.“Short-eared owls are putting on quite a show,” said expert birder Jim White. White said the owls, which usually hunt as it begins to get dark, are starting to fly around 3:30 p.m., giving birders and photographers better light to see them in flight.White, who just led the annual Christmas bird count in Wilmington for the Delaware Ornithological Society, said the owls are hunting meadow voles, a type of rodent that lives in the marsh. He said he suspects an explosion in vole populations has attracted more short-eared owls this year.“Owls in general are really fascinating,” said White, who also works at the Delaware Nature Society. “If you look back in literature and mythology owls make up a large amount of work that you’ll see - even in some of the more modern stuff like Harry Potter, where of course a snowy owl was a big part of that.”White said it’s rare to see snowy owls in Delaware, but that a good breeding season for the species last year means some juvenile birds must leave the Arctic to search for food. Because animals don’t evolve overnight, the owls are often seen along the coast because the topography of the beach resembles their tundra hunting grounds.“They’re trading snow Continue Reading

WASHINGTON — It is only fitting that two Big East teams — Syracuse and Marquette — will play here Saturday at the Verizon Center for the right to advance to the Final Four in Atlanta. The Big East, as we know it, is in its dying days, but it is making one last, bold statement about why it has been the best basketball conference in the country over the past three decades and why the ACC was so intent on dismantling it. Syracuse pulled off a stunner Thursday night when the fourth-seeded Orange beat down top-seeded Indiana, 61-50, to cap a Sweet 16 doubleheader on Georgetown’s home court. Third-seeded Marquette swatted away lifeless ACC champion Miami, 71-61, in the first game. This is everything the Big East was meant to be when Dave Gavitt, the league’s first commissioner, convinced a group of eight Eastern schools in 1979 to form a TV-fueled basketball league that could compete for national championships. Syracuse was a charter member. Marquette joined with Louisville, DePaul and Cincinnati in 2005 when then-commissioner Mike Tranghese made it a priority to further upgrade the league's basketball profile after the ACC convinced football staples like Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College to defect. Indiana and Big East power Louisville were considered the teams to beat when this tournament began. But Syracuse discovered the Hoosiers’ Achilles heel, mystifying them with a 2-3 zone that took IU completely out of its comfort zone and turned Tom Crean’s Hoosiers into an uncharacteristically dysfunctional team that shot just 33% (including 20% from three-point range) and committed 19 turnovers. Indiana won the Big Ten regular season title, but, with the exception of when they faced Northwestern, the high-scoring Hoosiers rarely saw a zone after December. And it showed Thursday night. “At first they seemed confused,” said Syracuse’s James Southerland. “They slowed the ball down and looked Continue Reading